LITERATURE AND NATIONAL CONSCIOUSNESS OF THE GREEK MINORITY IN NORTHERN EPIRUS* Anteia Frantzi Deep in the people’s soul wailed the demotic verse Panos Tsoukas ABSTRACT: The first period of Albanian rule in Northern Epirus, from 1912 to 1945, witnessed a continuation of the oral tradition enriched by the experience of the unceasing struggle for liberation. It should be stressed that what we now call “literature of the ethnic Greek minority of Albania” is in fact nothing but an integral part of Greek literature. It is the literary output of the Greek inhabitants of the area who, despite the adverse political developments that left them outside the borders of the Greek state, maintained their creativity and their Greek identity. From 1945 onwards, with the establishment of the People’s Republic of Albania, any attempt to assess the literature of the Greek minority in Northern Epirus stumbles upon the political and national dichotomy of the land and its people. Firstly, the writers who identified themselves with the Communist ideals were following the principles of Socialist Realism. Secondly, those who followed a path of silent resistance and struggled for the preservation of the Greek language reverted to allegory and cryptic writing. The protracted subjugation of the Greeks in Northern Epirus under the slowly collapsing Ottoman Empire had a positive impact on their folk traditions. The first period of Albanian rule in Northern Epirus, from 1912 to 1945, witnessed a continuation of the oral tradition enriched by the experience of the unceasing struggle for liberation. Moreover, in the realm of social life, the observation of traditional forms of social organisation, the binding of the Greeks around their Greek identity and their Orthodox religion, as well as the persecution they suffered, created conditions for the defence and preservation of these same * Work on this paper would not even have been started without the warm encouragement and the suggestions I received from the poet Andreas Zarbalas. It would never have been completed without the discussions I had with and material offered by the journalist Nikos Anagnostis, the teacher Christina Tsikolia, the writer Telemachos Kotsias and the late medical doctor Spyros Litos. To these Greek friends from Northern Epirus I dedicate the present paper. I have made available the books, the newspapers and the clippings that I was able to collect for my research for the use of researchers at the Archives of Modern Social History (ASKI) in Athens. The Historical Review / La Revue Historique Institute for Neohellenic Research Volume III (2006) 206 Anteia Frantzi fundamental values, as preconditions not only for their national but also for their mere survival. It should be stressed at the outset that what we now call, rather tentatively, “literature of the Greek minority in Northern Epirus”, which could be called simply “literature of the ethnic Greek minority of Albania”,1 is in fact nothing but an integral part of Greek literature. It is the literary output of the Greek inhabitants of the area who, despite the adverse political developments that left them outside the borders of the Greek state, maintained their creativity. Under such circumstances, the folk song acts as the bond of a society in multiple isolation, and we can observe, primarily through the help of the ∞ÓıÔÏÔÁ›· ‰ËÌÔÙÈÎÔ‡ ÙÚ·ÁÔ˘‰ÈÔ‡ [Anthology of folk songs] by Vassilis Nikas,2 that the folk song remained remarkably alive. Tasos Vidouris (1888-1967), from Droviani, translated many works from French and later published his first collection of short stories in Patras in 1938, as well as a collection of poetry under the title πÏ›ÛÈ· [Ilissia].3 His style follows Naturalism, as it tries to describe local customs and psychological states; this is why Kostas Natsios, in his critique, calls him “our Papadiamantis”.4 Michalis Papadopoulos, known as Botis (1860-1937), from Vouliarati, wrote two collections of poems, both entitled ªÂÚfiË [Meropi];5 his poetry uses demotic verse and it is characterised by simplicity as well. His skilful use of the 15-syllable verse makes his work part of the Greek popular tradition. Botis is also known for his drama works; his plays describe everyday life with a strong sense of irony for human conditions. Kyriakos Oikonomou, from Droviani, author of the novel ∏ ∆ۛψ [Tsilo],6 is an exceptional case. He is known for his ideologically driven 1 Cf. Panaghioti N. Barka, Literature in the Ethnic Greek Minority, Tirana: Shtëria Botuese e Librit Universitar, 2005. 2 Published in Argyrokastro by the publishing house “8 November”, 1989. Originally only one publishing house was established by the state under the name “State Publishing Company”. A division of this central publishing house followed, and as a result “8 November” became the publishing house responsible for both political books and Greek editions. Greek books and the newspaper §·˚Îfi µ‹Ì· were printed in Argyrokastro, and the printing house was named “21 January”. 3 An excerpt from §·˚Îfi µ‹Ì· (30-7-1961) of the poem ∆Ô ¯ˆÚÈfi ÌÔ˘ [My village] shows the simplicity of his literary language: “Oh you beautiful Droviani, my beloved village, countless are the treasures your soft, fertile soil provides to our common household which the Party is leading, and all of us freely are working to build the new life.” 4 From the newspaper ∆· ¡¤· Ù˘ √ÌfiÓÔÈ·˜ [The news of Omonia] (2-6-2000). 5 Published in 1911. 6 Kyriakos Oikonomou lived in Paris most of his life, studied literature and taught Greek language. Literature and National Consciouness 207 description of an imaginary village called Niviadro (the author’s native village of Droviani with its name written backwards, syllable by syllable); there, not only the name, but the social reality described is the reverse of the author’s village: a revolution takes place for the benefit of the people. The continuation of this tradition is linked to, but lags behind, literary developments in Greece. In the period between the World Wars, writers from Northern Epirus started publishing in Greece works that carried their reminiscences from their birthplace. Katina Papa (1903-1959) from Yanitsates, with her book ™ÙË Û˘Î·ÌÈ¿ ·fi οو [Under the sycamore tree],7 relates her childhood memories of Yanitsates. Her short stories describe nature and human customs, ordinary people and heroic figures in a way that holds the dramatic interest of the reader. It is also interesting to consider the case of the poet Takis Tsiakos (1909-?) from Argyrokastro, who made his literary appearance in Greece around 1930. He published poetry, including: ™‚ËṲ̂ÓË Ë¯Ò [Extinguished echo] (1936), ∞ÌÌÔ˘‰È¤˜ Î·È ‚Ú·¯¿ÎÈ· [Sandy beaches and reefs] (1945) and ¶ÂÙ·Ï›‰Â˜ [Petalides] (1949). The critic Aimilios Chourmouzios wrote about him: “Tsiakos belongs to the generation that will not forget the appeal of the songs of Palamas, despite the winds blowing at our contemporary poetry. I recognise certain echoes of Palamas in his verses and in his well-crafted metrical structures, and also in his cultivation of the rhyme. Even in the sensuality of his verses, this new poet reminds us of the old teacher.”8 The dominant influence of Palamas is not surprising, as the people of Northern Epirus, frustrated in their national consciousness and trapped in their lives, were very receptive to the national character of Palamas’ poetry. It is also not surprising that the poets of Northern Epirus often resorted to allegories and other cryptic devices in order to express their separation and subjection: In two I have been apportioned but this apportionment cannot stay. [...] Do not hate me. Other hatreds stifle me And I have been battered much. Battered... ™˘ÁÁÓÒÌË [Pardon], Takis Tsiakos 7 Her book was published in Athens in 1935. She also published a collection of short stories titled ∞Ó fiÏ· ÌÔÚÔ‡Û·Ó Ó’ ·ÏÏ¿ÍÔ˘Ó [If everything could be changed] (1959) and the novel ™ÙÔ ·ÚıÂÓ·ÁˆÁÂ›Ô [In a girls high school] (1959). 8 Aim[ilios] Ch[ourmouzios], ¡¤· ∂ÛÙ›· 47 (15-3-1950), p. 545. See also the article by Yorgos Pratsikas, “ŒÓ·˜ ÔÈËÙ‹˜ ·fi ÙË µfiÚÂÈ· ◊ÂÈÚÔ” [A poet from Northern Epirus], ∫˘Úȷο °Ú¿ÌÌ·Ù· 246 (December 1955), pp. 475-476. 208 Anteia Frantzi The limited literary production of the Greek minority in Northern Epirus in the period before 1945, mainly poetry, was published in Greece. It is a poetry that preserves folk elements and carries in it the ideological and rhythmical tonalities of Palamas and his followers. From 1945 onwards, with the establishment of the People’s Republic of Albania, the Greeks of Northern Epirus found themselves doubly outlawed. On the one hand, the regime of Enver Hodja imposed the abolition of all religions, including, of course, the Greek Orthodox Church. On the other hand, the educational policies forced the Greeks, now living in designated minority areas, to accept the cultural uniformity of Socialism and the resulting literary outlook of Socialist Realism. From then on, literary production splits into a visible and a hidden part. On the visible side, there was acceptance of Socialist Realism by the Greeks of Northern Epirus. On the hidden side, the secret literature (manuscripts illegally circulated and publications that later appeared in Greece) continued the Greek tradition, though gradually enriched by influences from European literature, especially French. Poetry, even though still quantitatively dominant, was no longer the only form of literary creation. Prose works started appearing with greater frequency. Regarding poetry, the continuing tradition of metrical verse should be stressed. Free verse made a hesitant appearance in the work of poets published after 1960 in connection with the revival of Albanian literature through Kadare. However, the use of free verse produced a strong reaction from the previous generation, especially from Panos Tsoukas (born 1925), from Sopiki of Pogoni, who was the best-known poet of the first post-World War I generation.